1. Technical Field
The present invention disclosed herein relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit and more particularly, to a hacking detecting circuit for semiconductor integrated circuits and a detecting method thereof.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Since the advent of the credit card in the 1920's, a number of electronic information cards have evolved such as debit (or cash) cards, credit cards, identification cards, department store cards, and the like. Recently, integrated circuit (IC) cards, named as such since a microchip is integrated into the cards, have become popular for their convenience, stability and numerous applications.
In general, IC cards include a thin semiconductor device attached to a plastic card of about the same size as a credit card. As compared to a conventional credit card, including a magnetic media strip, IC cards enjoy various benefits such as high stability, write-protected data, and high security. For this reason, IC cards have become widely accepted as the multimedia information media of the next generation.
IC cards can be roughly classified as a contact IC card, a Contactless IC Card (CICC), and a Remote Coupling Communication Card (RCCC). CICCs, such as those developed by AT&T Inc. provide a sensing distance of ½ inch. The RCCCs may be read within a distance of about 700 cm and have been standardized as ISO DIS 10536.
It is possible to classify IC cards as either a smart card or a memory card. The smart card is an IC card having an embedded microprocessor and the memory card is an IC card having no microprocessor. The smart card may include a CPU, EEPROM for storing application programs, ROM, RAM, and the like. The smart card may have high reliability/security, large-volume data storage, E-purse or electronic wallet function, the ability to store various applications, and the like. The smart card has also been applied to bi-direction communications, dispersed processing, finances, and the like. Such services are integrated into one card.